Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128353
/ Florida Mo1:orr:yr:1i51:5 Help Kid5 Despite their own personal losses due to recent devastating hurricanes, hundreds 01 Florida motorcycl ists set aside the ir own plight to join toge ther in the annual Ride lor Kids event in Dunnello n. Florida, to raise $75,6 13 to help the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation find the cause of and cure to childhood brain tumors. The day's event was blessed with brisk lall air that invigorated everyone as the part icipating motorcyclists lined up behind their police escort and rode into the beautiful, central Florida countrysi de in a salute to children w ith brain tumors. O nce the motorcyclists arrived at the ir destination at Ernie Banks Park in Dunnellon, they gathered together under the large billowing "BigTop" tent lor the Celebration 01 Life and interviews with young brain tumor patients, their parents, doctors and some very proud mot o rcyclists who had ensured that in spite 01 the year 01the hurricanes, the Flor ida riders were going to br ing the e nd of the 29-eve nt, 2004 Ride lor Kids season to a success ful close . In a touching commentary, Dunnellon Mayor john Taylor to ld the riders how proud he was of their hard work at raising donations to help the kids and how pleased he was to himself be a motorcyclist who rode in the event on his own bike. His words of praise were echoed by Dr. jill Barnholtz· Sloan, who to ld the riders, "Thank you , thank you , thank you. Without you, I would not have the lunds for my research into early diagnosis, treatment and qua lity 01 Iile for bra in tumo r patien ts." Two co llege-aged brain tumo r patients who have recei ved Ped iatric Brain Tumor Foundat ion scho larships were on hand to give the riders a firsthand thanks lor helping them make the ir way through college. Andriana. anothe r brain tumor patient. told the riders . "This found ation would not be possible without you wonderful people. Yougive the luture to us kids!" The day's to p fund-raisers were john and Rose Marte ns, with $5.002 in donations turned in. The top club was Hap's Gulf Coast Riders , wit h $34 .532 collected , and Hap's Cycle Sales was the to p dealership, with $42 ,092 raised by its customers. The lucky winner 01 the Honda mot o rcycle was Charles Barnett 01 Long Boat Key, Florida. This brings the 29-even t, rec or d-breaking 2004 Ride lor Kids season to a close . The first Ride lor Kids event in the 36-eve nt 2005 season will be held on Fe bruary 20, 2005, in South Florida at Sunrise, Flor ida. Online poll results from last week Which rider surprised you the most with his performance on the racetrack in 20041 A. Valentino Rossi winning nine MotoGP races and the title on a new bike. 1413 (31.87%) B. RickyCarmichael having anot her 24 for 24 moto perfect motocross seas on Cyclenews.com reader poll question of the w eek Do you think they should combine the THQ Wo rld S u percross and THQ AMA Supe rc ro ss se ries int o a single ch ampionship, which would force a ll of the r iders to compe t e a t every round includ ing the Canadi an rounds a nd/o r a ny future European rounds? A. Yes B. N o aft er knee surgery. 1474 title in Fonnula Xtreme. 414 (9.34 % ) F. JeffWard winning the AMA Super. moto Championsh ip 14 yea rs after his last 500cc motocross title . (33.24%) C. Mat Mladin winning an unprece- dented fifth AMA Superb ike title. 79 (1.78 %) D. Jame s "Bubba" Stewart destroying the competition in 12Scc supercrcss and motocross. 95 (2.14 %) www.cyclenews.com E. Miguel Duhamel winning 12 races, four In Superblke and eight and the 807 (18 .20 %) G. Chad Reed complete lydominating the THQ AMA Supercross series. 152 (3.43 %) Total Replies: 4434 CYCLE NEWS • DECEMBER 8 , 2004 93